A diagonal line (\) that slants backward, used in computer file paths, programming code, and escape sequences.
Compound of 'back' and 'slash,' coined in the 1980s as personal computers became common. It was created to distinguish this character from the forward slash (/) in computing contexts.
The backslash is one of the most confusing characters in computing because Windows chose to use it for file paths while the rest of the internet uses forward slashes—it's basically a historical accident that causes programmers daily frustration!
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